Automobile trunk and luggage carrier



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,396

A. L. SHIDLER ET- AL AUTOMOBILE TRUNK AND LUGGAGE CARRIER File Jan- 'i,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7 amnion Oct. 9, 1928.

' 1,687,396 A. 1.. SHIDLER ET AL AUTOMOBILE TRUNK AND LUGGAGE CARRIER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. '7, 1927 h erman h. Mao/z.

, attain:

Y Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,687,396 PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT L. SHIDLER AND HERMAN H. MOOTZ, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

AUTOMOBILE TRUNK AND LUGGAGE CARRIER.

Application 'filed January 7, 1927. Serial No. 159,710.

This invention relates to luggage carriers for automobiles and pertainsparticularly to an improved trunk structure.

The primary object of this invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a luggage trunk for automobiles having meanswhereby the carrying capacity of the same may be increased.

The invention contemplates the provision of a trunk structure made upinto two sections one telescoping into the other, one of the sectionsbeing designed to be secured in position on the vehicle while the othersection is retained in shiftable relation to the fixed section. A hingedlid is provided which closes the top portion of the trunk structure whenthe sections are telescoped together and may be locked in closedposition in the usual manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a trunk designed to beenlarged in the manner described, which will be strong and durable, ofneat and attractive appearance and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Numerous other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent as the description of the same proceeds, and the invention willbe best understood from a consideration of the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, with the understanding, however, that theinvention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing ofthe drawings, but that the'same may be-changed or modified so long assuch changes or modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the trunk structure embodying this invention in frontelevation.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same with the top raised and theshiftable portion of the trunk extended.

Figure 3 shows the trunk structure in side elevation the opened-upposition being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a' vertical section taken substan tially upon the line 4-4of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section through the central portionof the trunk bot-' tom showing the manner in which the sections aresecured together in closed position. Figure 6 1s an enlarged transversesection through the bottom of the closed trunk structure s owingfguidemeans between the two sections.

Figure 7 is a section taken upon the line 77 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein lilte numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, theinvention comprises two body sectlons 1 and 2, and section 1 comprisingthe ma n body port-ion of the trunk structure WhlCh 1s designed to besecured permanently to the motor vehicle upon which the trunk is to becarried. This section 1 comprises the back and end walls 3 and 4respectively and the bottom wall 5 and the end walls 4 have then toedges inclined from the rear to the forwar portion thereof, as is shownin Figures 3 and 4. Secured to the top edge of the back wall 3 1s theback portion of the lid 6, which as is shown, is hinged to the back wallto swing upwardly therefrom and which has the lower edges of the endwalls 7 thereof inclined to conform to the inclination of the body endwalls 4, so that when the lid is closed, the top of the trunk will belevel as shown in Figure 3. The front of the section 1 is open as shown,and secured across the inner face of each end wall 4 at the top thereofthere is formed a downwardly extending guide flange 8 which is in spacedparallel relation with the wall 4 upon which it is carried.

The bottom wall 5 of the section 1 is provided with transversedepressions9 which constitute guide ways extending from the forward edgeof the bottom to the back wall, the purpose of which will be hereinafterset fort The section 2 of the trunk is shiftable with respect to thesection 1 and is of such size as to permit its being snugly projectedinto the open front of the section 1, the front and end walls 10 and 11of the shiftable section 2 being of the same height as the forward edgeof the end walls 4 of the section 1.

The top edge of each end wall 10 of the sec-- tion 2 is turned over toprovide a bead 12 which is positioned in the channel formed between'theguide flange 8 and the adjacent end wall, at each end of the section 1and a tongue 13 is formed at the lower edge of each head 12 at the innerend, which tongues engage in a catch member 14 formed at the outer end,and lower edge, of each of the guide flanges 8 to prevent the section 2being en substantially tirely withdrawn from the section 1, as will bereadily understood upon the reference to Figure 4. As will also be seenupon reference to this fi urethe rear of the section 2 is open and thefiottom 15 rests and slides upon the bottom 5 of the fixed section.

Secured vertically against the inner face of the wall-11, of the section2 is a pair of spaced reinforcing beams 16 which extend through thefloor 15 of this section and connect with the outer ends of guide bars17 secured transversely of and in spaced parallel relation upon, theunder face of the bottom, these bars being designed to fit in thegrooves 9 formed in the bottom of the section 1.

In the central portion of the bottom 5 of the section 1 adjacent thefront and rear portions thereof are formed apertures 18 and secured tothe central portion of the bottom 15 of the section 2 is a springcontrolled catch member 19, the tongue portlon 20 of which is adaptedfor selective engagement in either of the apertures 18. By this meansthe sections can be latched in opened or closed position.

Means is provided in the form of a thumb screw 21 threaded through eachend wall 1 of the section 1, for binding the bead 12 against the guideflange 8 to secure the sections in any desired position, independentlyof the latch element 19.

Upon the front wall 11 of the trunk section 2, racks 22 are secured toprovide a tire car: rier, the carrier being shiftable with the section 2of the trunk, as will be readily under stood.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the structureembodying this in vention will be particularly useful to personstraveling or to drummers who must carry quantities of material withthem, as the carrying space can be readily increased or decreased insize to accommodate the quantity of material to be carried.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. An automobile trunk comprising a main section having an open front,an auxiliary section slidably associated with the first section to beextended through the open front thereof and a lid hinged to the mainsection of an area to close the main section but not the auxiliarysection when the latter is extended.

2. A combination trunkand luggage carrier comprising a main sectionhaving guide flanges at the top thereof and guide ways in the bottomthereof, an auxiliary section having certain edge portions slidablyrelated with said guide flanges so that said auxiliary section may beextended horizontally of said main section, guide bars carried by theauxiliary section for sliding movement in guide ways, a lid hinged tothe main section for closing the same and a pair of lock devices, oneasociated with said flanges and the other associated with the bottom ofsaid sections whereby the sections may be locked in either oftheir twoadjustedpositions.

3. In an automobile trunk, a main section having an open front, anauxiliary section telescoping therein and movable out through the openfront, means for limiting'the outward movement, a tire rack secured onthe outer wall of the auxiliary section to be moved therewith from onevertical position to another to be readily accessible, and a coverhinged to and covering said main section, but terminating short of thefully extended auxiliary section.

4. A combined automobile trunk and luggage carrier comprising astationary section adapted to be mounted on an automobile and havingside walls, a bottom wall, a rear wall having a lid hinged thereto, .andan open front; a movable section including a vertical front wall memberadapted to close the open front of said stationary section to form atrunk, and means connecting said front wall member with said stationarysection to allow said front wall member to move outwardly away from saidstationary section while remaining constantly in a vertical position toform a luggage carrier.

5. A combined automobile trunk and lug gage carrier comprising astationary section adaptedto be mounted on an automobile and having sidewalls, a bottom Wall, a rear wall having a lid hinged thereto, and anopen front, a movable section including a vertical front wall memberadapted to close the open front of said stationary section to form a.trunk, a tire carrier mounted on said front wall, and means connectingsaid front wall member with said stationary section to allow said frontwall member to move outwardly away from said stationary section whileremaining constantly in a vertical position to form a luggage carrier.

6. A combined automobile trunk and luggage carrier comprising astationary section adapted to be mounted on an automobile and havingside walls, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and an open front, a movablesection including a vertical front wall member adapted to close the openfront of said stationary section to form a trunk a lid therefor,'a tirecarrier mounted on said front wall and movable with said movablesection, and means connecting said front wall member with saidstationary section to allow said front wall member to move outwardlyaway from said stationary section while remaining constantly in avertical position to form a luggage carrier. 4

7. A combination trunk and luggage carrier comprising a main sectionhaving guide flanges at the top thereof and guide ways in the bottomthereof, an auxiliary section having certain edge portions slidablyrelated with said guide flanges so that said auxiliary section may beextended horizontally of said main section, guide bars carried by theauxiliary section for sliding movement in the guide ways, a lid forclosing said main sec- -tion, said auxiliary section having a vertical 5front wall member adapted to move outwardly away from said main sectionwhile remaining constantly in a vertical position to form a luggagecarrier, and a tire carrier mounted on said vertical front wall membermovable therewith and remaining constantly 10 in a vertical position.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

' ALBERT L. SHIDLER. HERMAN H. MOOTZ.

